American/Christian Flag in Sanctuary?

[Marrow Man]

OTOH, the Missus just reminded me of the time D. James Kennedy, the week after 9/11, had a 50' tall flag unfurled in the pulpit area of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church and led the congregation in singing "God Bless America." That is one of the worst displays of this sort of nationalistic nonsense that I have ever seen in a supposedly Reformed church. I never watched his TV show after that.

 

[OPC'n]

some places don't own their own church they rent a place the city owns (we use to) and they have flags.....it's no big deal since no one is worshipping the flag. A flag is the least of my problems most of the time. I busy thinking about how well so and so sings or how loud the kid behind me is or "i wonder how old that guy is he can barely walk". A flag just sits there not really distracting to me. of course that's me i have an attention span of a gnat.....

 

[Beau Michel]

The Gospel is supranational.Too often the mindset of God and Country associates the gospel with a particular nation.Jerome was of the opinion that with the collapse of the Roman Empire it would bode ill for the church.Augustine thinking in more biblical terms realized that the City of God did not need the City of man for its survival.A flag in the sanctuary,or in front of the building conveys the idea that the church is a national organization,an arm of the state,which is foreign to the New Testament ideal.

 

[RyledPiper]

Have you ever seen the huge shrines on the walls to Drs. Koop and Barnhouse at Tenth Pres. in Philadelphia? I agree with J. Dean - I could take it or leave it. If I had to design something from scratch, I would leave it out, but it's not the end of the world.

 

[NB3K]

I would just take the American flag down. I am willing to bet that no one would notice.

 

[Mushroom]

I'm just a stranger in a strange land looking for a home in that city whose builder and maker is God, so I'll hold to this:

Exo 17:15 And Moses built an altar and called the name of it, The LORD Is My Banner,

And this:

Song 2:4 He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love.

Anybody who is of a different mind may freely fly their bloody and earthly war standards whenever and however they wish, it is of no consequence to me... except in the place where the Ancient of Days and King of all Kings is worshipped. All these nations and kingdoms that are the inventions of men shall fall as dust before the throne of our Mighty God, and their morbid banners trodden under the foot of His people as filthy rags. Except those contrivances bow to His majesty and power they shall all likewise perish, and I have yet to see one upon the face of the earth doing so, therefore my hope of such for this one is so minimal as to be non-existent. I just don't see that in the eshaton, 'patriotic' narratives of exceptionalism notwithstanding.

Yep - I stand contrary to the line of earthly nation as idol - always will. Paul had no love for Rome as a nation, his love was reserved for that spiritual nation called Israel. I will follow that example. And, like the Philistines in the presence of David who shadowed our Beloved, there is a day coming when all these nations will know of a surety that there is a God in Israel. The lines of that beautiful country are not found upon this fallen earth, nor in any of its banners.